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The Addams Family (musical)

The Addams Family is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. The show is based upon The Addams Family characters created by Charles Addams in his single-panel gag cartoons, which depict a ghoulish American family with an affinity for all things macabre. Although numerous film and television adaptations of Addams' cartoons exist, the musical is the first stage show based on the characters.[1]The Addams Family is also the first show produced by Elephant Eye Theatricals.[2]

A revised national tour of North America began in September 2011. The production has won numerous awards including the Drama League Award and Drama Desk Award, as well as the Chicago production winning the Jeff Award, and has been nominated for several others.

The UK premiere of The Addams Family was announced on 5 September 2016, and opened at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre in Edinburgh in April 2017 before embarking on a major UK tour.

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In 2007, the producers announced that they had obtained the rights from the Tee and Charles Addams Foundation to create a musical adaptation of The Addams Family for Broadway, and they anticipated an opening during the 2009–2010 season after an out-of-town tryout. This was the first time that Charles Addams' comic creations were licensed to serve as the basis for a stage production.[1] The musical's lead producers were Stuart Oken and Roy Furman.[5] In addition to Oken and Furman, Vivek Tiwary also joined The Addams Family musical's team of producers.[6] The Addams Foundation reportedly retained control over the show's content and insisted that, instead of drawing the plot from The Addams Family television series or films, the production team devise an original musical based solely on Addams' cartoons.[7]

Some changes were made after the Chicago tryout. The songs "Clandango", "Passionate and True", "At Seven", and "Second Banana" were replaced with "When You're an Addams", "Where Did We Go Wrong?", "Morticia", and "Just Around the Corner". The songs "One Normal Night", "Full Disclosure, Part 2", "Crazier Than You", "Move Toward the Darkness", and "Tango De Amor" were rewritten.[citation needed]

The show began previews on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on March 8, 2010, with an official opening night of April 8.[9][10] The production was originally estimated to cost $10 million,[11] but more recent reports give the budget as $15 million.[12]

All of the cast from the tryout transferred to Broadway. The creative team includes direction by McDermott and Crouch, choreography by Trujillo, lighting by Natasha Katz, puppets by Basil Twist, special effects by Gregory Meeh, and orchestrations by Larry Hochman.[13]

A May 2011 article in Playbill reported that the show had now grossed over $62 million.[16] The show celebrated its 500th performance on June 16, 2011.[17]Playbill reported in May 2011 that "plans for other international productions are currently underway."[16]

Cassandra Peterson was in talks to take over the role of Morticia until the producers decided to close the show at the end of the year.[18]

The Broadway production closed on December 31, 2011, after 35 previews and 722 performances.[19]

A second tour of North America, produced by Phoenix Entertainment, launched in 2013, starring Jennifer Fogarty as Wednesday Addams, KeLeen Snowgren as Morticia Addams, Jesse Sharp as Gomez Addams, Shaun Rice as Uncle Fester, and Sam Primack as Pugsley. After the second national tour, The Addams Family was due to tour Asia. Most, if not all, of the 2nd National Tour cast was set to perform in the Asian tour except Sam Primack as Pugsley, who was to be replaced by Connor Barth.

The Addams Family returned to Chicago in a sit-down production at Mercury Theater Chicago opening February 5, 2015 after a week of previews, and closed April 15. The production, which featured a tighter post-National Tour script and a more Chicago improv-oriented cast, was directed by L. Walter Stearns, musical directed by Eugene Dizon, and choreographed by Brenda Didier; with scene design by Bob Knuth, lighting by Nick Belley, sound by Mike Ross, costumes by Frances Maggio, and magic by Neil Tobin.

The show received unanimous rave reviews. "Comic perfection at the Mercury. It's a very good bet that The Addams Family will haunt the Mercury for months to come." (Chicago Sun-Times).[28] "Much more relaxed and infinitely funnier. Enjoyed L. Walter Stearns Mercury Theater production more than any of my previous visits with this family [including pre-Broadway tryout, Broadway, and National Tour production]. Relentless focus on laughs." (Chicago Tribune).[29] "An absolute delight! The best show I've seen so far this year." (New City Chicago)[30] The production was honored with three 2015 Jeff Awards nominations,[31] and was named Outstanding Production—Musical—Midsize.[32]

The musical premiered at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia, starting in March 2013. The cast includes John Waters as Gomez Addams, Chloe Dallimore as Morticia Addams, Russell Dykstra as Uncle Fester, Teagan Wouters as Wednesday Addams and Ben Hudson as Lurch.[16][37][38][39] The show closed on June 9, 2013. It had been hoped to tour to other Australian cities but it is understood the show had struggled at the box office and those plans were cancelled.[40]

The musical began its Argentinian premiere at Teatro Ópera in Buenos Aires, Argentina, starting in June 19, 2013. It is produced by T4F (Time For Fun) the same company who produced "The Phantom of the Opera" ("O Fantasma da Ópera"/"El Fantasma de la Ópera"), "The Beauty and the Beast" ("A Bela e a Fera"/"La Bella y la Bestia"), "The Sound of Music" ("A Noviça Rebelde"/"La Novicia Rebelde"), Mamma Mia! and in this case, "The Addams Family" ("A Família Addams"/"Los Locos Addams") in São Paulo and Buenos Aires. The cast will include Gabriel Goity as Homero (Gomez) Addams, Julieta Díaz as Morticia Addams, Santiago Ríos as Tío Lucas (Uncle Fester), Gabi Goldberg as Abuela (Grandma) Addams, Alejandro Viola as Mauricio Beineke (Mal Beineke), Dolores Ocampo as Alice Beineke, Laura Esquivel as Merlina (Wednesday) Addams, Marcelo Albamonte as Largo (Lurch), and Marco Di Mónaco as Lucas Beineke. Four kids will play Pericles (Pugsley) Addams: Kevin La Bella, Jorge Chamorro, Tadeo Galvé and Valentino Grizutti.

The Finnish premiere of The Addams Family took place in Tampereen Työväen Teatteri, also known as the TTT-Theatre of Tampere on October 4, 2013. Directed by Tiina Puumalainen, visually designed by Teppo Järvinen and conducted by Pekka Siistonen, the production features a cast of Puntti Valtonen (Gomez), Eriikka Väliahde (Morticia), Laura Alajääski (Wednesday), Jukka Nylund (Pugsley), Matti Pussinen-Eloranta (Mumma / Grandma), Samuli Muje (Fester), Minna Hokkanen (Alice), Mika Honkanen (Mal), Juha-Matti Koskela (Lucas), Sami Eerola (Lurch).

The Addams Family was staged at the Meralco Theater in Manila, the Philippines by Atlantis Productions, Inc. from November 15 to December 1, 2013. Cast members included Arnell Ignacio (Gomez), Eula Valdez (Morticia), K-La Rivera (Wednesday) and Ryan Gallagher (Lucas).[41][42]

The Addams Family debuted in German language in July 2014 in Merzig and closed in September 2014. In December it was staged in Bremen. The cast included a lot of famous musical and TV actors: Gomez (Uwe Kröger), Morticia (Edda Petri), Wednesday (Jana Stelley), Fester (Enrico DePieri), Grandma (Anne Welte), Pugsley (Noah Walczuch), Mal Beineke (Ethan Freeman), Alice Beineke (April Hailer) and Lucas Beineke (Dominik Hees). The German cast also produced an album, published in December 2014.[43]

In Mexico, the show opened in October 2014 as "Los Locos Addams", the name of the TV Series in Mexico, starring Susana Zabaleta as Morticia, Jesús Ochoa as Gomez (Homero), Gloria Aura as Wednesday (Merlina), Miguel Ángel Pérez and Sebastián Gallegos as Pugsley (Pericles), Gerardo González as Uncle Fester (El tío Lucas), Raquel Pankowsky as Grandma (La abuela) and José Roberto Pisano as Lurch; also including Luca Duhart as Lucas (Tomás) Beineke, Tomás Castellanos as Mal (Mauricio) Beineke and Marisol del Olmo as Alice (Alicia) Beineke.

The Kankakee Valley Theatre Association will present The Addams Family in October 2017 as a part of their 2017-2018 season.

In Paris, the theater Le Palace and Teatro Nuevo will present The Addams Family in September 2017 until January 2018 as a part of their 2017-2018 season.

The ghoulish Addams family is visiting the graveyard for an annual gathering of all family members (living, dead, and undecided) to celebrate what it is to be an Addams ("When You're an Addams"). Uncle Fester stops the Ancestors' return to their graves to enlist their help. He explains that Wednesday, under protest, has invited her new (normal) boyfriend, Lucas Beineke, and his parents, Mal and Alice, to dinner. While torturing Pugsley on a rack, Wednesday admits that love is pulling her in a new direction ("Pulled"). Meanwhile, Morticia and Gomez worry about her changing ways ("Where Did We Go Wrong").

As the Beinekes arrive, Wednesday and Lucas instruct their families to act normal so they can all enjoy a simple dinner ("One Normal Night"). But the moment Lurch ushers the Beinekes into the mansion, tensions begin to mount. Mal wants to tear down the old house, Alice begins to spout happy poems at random, Pugsley, Fester, and Grandma fail at acting normal, and Wednesday, after wearing black for eighteen years, appears in a bright yellow dress. Later, Lucas and Wednesday, away from their families, reveal that the reason they brought their families together is to announce that they are getting married. Gomez and Mal share a drink where Mal is introduced to Bernice, the family's giant pet squid, and Alice admits to Morticia that her marriage to Mal has grown passionless. Morticia then hears Wednesday call her old and worries that she's getting crows feet. She turns down Gomez's request to tango, leaving him alone and unsatisfied ("Morticia"). Meanwhile, Pugsley is worried that Wednesday's love life means she won't torture him anymore. He steals a potion from Grandma after she reveals it will bring out someone's dark nature. Pugsley plans to slip it to Wednesday at dinner ("What If?").

At dinner, "The Game" is played, where each person at the table confesses something ("Full Disclosure"). Gomez tells a story about scaring away crows and their feet, but upsets Morticia by accidentally comparing her to a goat, while Uncle Fester admits he's in love with the moon. In a mix-up, Alice drinks Pugsley's potion and in front of everyone declares her marriage to Mal a loveless mess as she reveals her misery and woe ("Waiting"). As Mal, humiliated, attempts to leave with his family, Wednesday announces that she and Lucas are getting married, to which Lucas sheepishly agrees. Chaos engulfs both families, and Uncle Fester, trying to be helpful, instructs the Ancestors to create a sudden, terrible storm, trapping everyone in the mansion for the night ("Full Disclosure – Part 2").

During the storm, Wednesday tries to leave, but Lucas wants to stay and work things out with their families, leading the pair to have their first fight. Later, Morticia fears she is no longer relevant to her own family, and reminds herself that death is waiting for her ("Just Around The Corner"). Mal and Alice start to have a fight about their marriage at the dinner after Alice makes a poem that doesn't rhyme. Uncle Fester calls for an interlude as he plays his ukulele, singing a love song to the Moon ("The Moon and Me").

Walking out in the yard, Wednesday runs into Gomez. He is happy she's found someone to love, yet sad that his daughter is growing up ("Happy/Sad"). Wednesday is left worrying that she and Lucas are too different. Then as a show of trust, Lucas blindfolds Wednesday and lets her shoot an apple off his head with a crossbow ("Crazier Than You"). She succeeds, and the two embrace. Pugsley cannot sleep, and Morticia relaxes him a bit but he cannot bring himself to confess what he did to Alice. In the grotto, Gomez and Fester attempt to get Mal to open up about his feelings to no avail ("Let's Not Talk About Anything Else But Love"). He is ultimately kidnapped by Bernice and pulled into the sewers. Grandma, hearing the word "love", comes to sing with Gomez and Fester ("Let's Not Talk About Anything Else But Love" (reprise)). Moments after, Alice is led down to the grotto by Lurch where Mal, now back from his swim with Bernice, has learned to appreciate what he has after spending time in the arms of a passionate squid and announces he still loves Alice ("In The Arms"). Gomez now goes up to the rooftop to profess his love for Morticia ("Live Before We Die"). They kiss and begin to tango ("Tango de Amor").

With all the couples reunited, Pugsley admits to slipping the potion to Alice, but is congratulated since it brought everyone together. Uncle Fester, wearing a rocket, tells everyone he is flying off to be with the moon. As the families sing one last ballad, they are all shocked as Lurch sings out loud for the first time, just as a puff of smoke is seen on the moon, signaling Fester has just landed ("Move Toward the Darkness").

During an annual visit to their family graveyard, the Addams Family summon their late ancestor's spirits and celebrate being a part of the Addams clan (When You're an Addams). After the Family leave, Fester locks the ancestor's portal to the afterlife (through a crypt door) shut. He explains to them that Wednesday has fallen in love with Lucas Beineke, a relatively normal teenage boy, and refuses to let them leave the world of the living unless they assist Fester in helping love triumph (Fester's Manifesto). The ancestors begrudgingly agree.

As Gomez spends an afternoon practising fencing with Lurch in Morticia's Boudoir, Morticia arrives with a bouquet of flowers from Lucas, with a poem. She announces that his family is coming to dinner that night. Wednesday arrives with a freshly killed goose and Morticia leaves to start preparing dinner. When they are alone, Wednesday confesses to Gomez that Lucas has proposed to her, and she wishes to say yes - but cannot until the families get along. She begs Gomez to keep the engagement a secret from Morticia (Two Things) to which Gomez reluctantly agrees (Wednesday's Growing Up). Gomez ponders alone for a moment until he is rejoined by Morticia. She asks if there is something wrong with Wednesday. He lies to her, but she begins to suspect he is hiding something. However, she plays along with the idea and leaves Gomez once more (Trapped).

Wednesday tortures Pugsly in the playroom whilst Wednesday reveals her blossoming enjoyment of non-Addams customs (Pulled). Overhearing, Morticia is horrified and suggests cancelling the dinner, but Gomez begs her to keep going with the plan. Their argument is interrupted by Wednesday who sets down ground rules for the evening. Morticia, still intent on shutting down the whole affair, prods Gomez into telling her the dinner is off. But he refuses, angering Morticia. As a compromise, Morticia insists on playing 'The Game', much to Wednesday's dislike. Meanwhile, the Beinekes arrive at the Addams Household. Fester commands the spirits do as they're told and rallies them to make the night go smoothly (One Normal Night).

The families awkwardly meet, as the Addams do their best to give off the impression of the all-American household. Wednesday emerges in a yellow dress much to the horror of Gomez and Morticia. As the couples split off to different parts of the house, Fester encourages the spirits to keep up the act (But Love, Reprise 1). Wednesday and Lucas passionately embrace in private, gaining the ancestors' affection (But Love, Reprise 2). In the torture chamber, Gomez talks to Mal about how the Addams got their fortune and leads him to the sewer for a swim. In Morticia's Boudoir, Morticia and Alice talk about their marriages, how Morticia is openly honest with her husband whilst Alice keeps secrets from hers. Morticia encourages honesty in their relationship (Secrets). Morticia emerges on Wednesday, Lucas and Gomez admiring Wednesday's ring. They all lie about their discussion and she tells them to go to dinner. After catching him in a lie, Morticia refuses an offer for sex from Gomez (Gomez's What If). Meanwhile, Wednesday tells Pugsley to leave Lucas alone. Distraught, he finds Grandma and asks about some of the potions in her cart. He snatches a bottle of Acremonium from it (Pugsley's What If).

After dinner, Morticia proposes 'The Game', which Gomez encourages. 'The Game', Full Disclosure, ensues during which Gomez tries to tell Morticia he's sorry through a thinly veiled metaphor. Fester reveals he has feelings for the moon, and Grandma admits she wishes to undergo a total makeover (Full Disclosure, Part 1). Morticia encourages Wednesday to have a go, during which Pugsley drips in the Acremonium. The cup gets accidentally passed to Alice, who drinks and reveals how unhappy she is in her relationship (Waiting). The family are shocked and encourage a new round, but Mal yearns to leave. Wednesday stops him by revealing she and Lucas are getting married. Everyone is left shocked (Full Disclosure, Part 2). Just as the panic rises, Fester stops the show and asks the ancestors to whip up a storm to keep the families from parting. They do so, leaving the Beinekes stranded in the Addams' residence with no power.

Wednesday drags Lucas to the front gates of the Addams' residence, intent on running away. Lucas stops her and asks her to think before she does things. She refuses and tells him to act impulsively for once. A fight ensues. Meanwhile, in Morticia's Boudoir, she yells at Gomez about keeping such a big secret from her. She tells him to leave before pondering the wonders of death along with the Ancestors (Just Around the Corner). Alice and Mal fight in their bedroom, and Alice (now changed from drinking the potion), tells her husband to leave her alone.

Fester emerges on the lawn and begins to sing to the Moon about his desire to be with her (The Moon and Me). Whilst hiding out in the crypt, Gomez runs into Wednesday who is storming off. He tells her to sit and talk with him. She reveals how confused loving Lucas has made her feel and he comforts her telling her about his confusing paternal love for her (Happy/Sad). Lucas appears from the shadows announcing he's open to embracing the unexpected for her. Gomez leaves them, whilst they test their love with an apple and bow (Crazier Than You). She says yes to marrying him. Fester and Mal reveal to have been watching and Mal begins to remember how young and impulsive love made him, thinking back to when he and Alice were young. The ancestors reveal Alice to him and he leads her to remember the good old days (Crazier Than You, Reprise).

Morticia arrives in Pugsley's room with a suitcase. She says goodbye for a final time before making the monster under his bed take care of him. It emerges and drags the bed off. Gomez and Lurch plan a make-up gift for Morticia when Gomez comes upon a travel guide to Paris. Knowing Morticia wishes to see the city, he calls up the worst hotel and books a reservation for them both (Not Today). Fester bursts in and announces he's seen Morticia heading for the gate to leave. Gomez rushes out to speak to her one last time.

Gomez finds her on a bench outside the house. She refuses to stay with him, saying she could never love a man who kept secrets from her. He reluctantly agrees and begs her for a final dance. She hesitantly agrees but listens to what Gomez says. Apologising and realising she has become too much like her mother, Morticia calms down her anger (Live Before We Die). Celebrating their newly rekindled love, they dance (Tango De Amor).

The rest of the family emerge, once again in the graveyard. Mal and Alice thank the Addams for rekindling their marriage. Wednesday apologises to Morticia for lying and keeping secrets. She accepts and gives her blessing for the marriage to take place. Gomez reveals he is going to take Morticia to Paris, much to her delight. Grandma enters with Pugsley and makes him confess to stealing the Acromonium and poisoning Alice. The family all thank him for bringing them together. Wednesday applauds his work and the family come together. Seeing the work done, Fester allows the ancestors (now visible to the Beinekes) to return to the afterlife. He also confesses he is moving towards his darkness and emerges with a rocket to fly to the moon. They wish him well and send him off. Wednesdey and Lucas hopefully embrace their future whilst Gomez and Morticia and Mal and Alice kiss (Move Toward the Darkness).

(In the libretto, an additional scene is added to the curtain call which reveals Wednesday and Lucas's wedding, with Lurch as the minister, Pugsley and Thing as ringbearers, Fester as Best Man and Grandma as Maid of Honor. They kiss and Lucas is given Fester's iconic lightbulb, which he places in a hankercheif and smashes on the floor. Alice and Mal toast with Acremonium Martinis.)

In addition to the original characters created by Addams, the musical introduces the new roles of Mal, Alice, and Lucas Beineke, who are described as "straight arrow Midwesterners."[46] The ensemble consists of a group of Addams Family ancestors, each from a different time period.

Lippa said he wrote most of the score to match each character's personality.[47] This included giving Gomez a Flamenco-style Spanish score, Wednesday a more contemporary score, and Fester a vaudevillian score.[48] "Let's Not Talk About Anything Else but Love" is "jazzy/swingy/catchy" and "Happy/Sad" is a ballad reminiscent of Stephen Sondheim.[49]

The Variety review of the Chicago tryout said "The show [is] overcrammed and underfocused...From a structural perspective, the storytelling is all rising action followed by rapid and not really convincing resolution... it's very funny, with special nods to Chamberlin, whose ultra-corny number 'The Moon and Me' is a comic highlight, as well as to Hoffman and Lane."[54] The Chicago Sun-Times theater critic wrote a laudatory review,[55] but while the Chicago Tribune critic found the musical enjoyable, he felt "the show is hijacked by the Addamses behaving weirdly (i.e. normally)" and that Morticia's "crisis of confidence about getting old" is "a very uneasy narrative twist" and perhaps too far out of character.[56]

Reviews for the Broadway production were mixed but mostly negative (the median grade of 27 major reviews was "D+").[57]John Simon, writing in the Bloomberg News called it "A glitzy-gloomy musical in which the quick and the dead are equally full of character, especially the chorus of ancestors that exhibits wonderful esprit de corpse."[58] However, Ben Brantley in The New York Times wrote that it is "A tepid goulash of vaudeville song-and-dance routines, Borscht Belt jokes, stingless sitcom zingers and homey romantic plotlines".[59] There was general praise for the performers, particularly Nathan Lane. An Associated Press reviewer stated: "Lane, complete with a deliciously phony Spanish accent, is the hardest working actor on Broadway. Whatever they are paying him – and I hope it is a lot – he's worth the price. The actor possesses a theatrical gusto that makes the musical move whenever he is on stage."[57]

Despite many negative reviews by New York critics, it has consistently played to 100% capacity and grossed third only to Wicked and The Lion King each week since it opened in previews.[60]The New York Times reported that despite "the sort of scathing reviews that would bury most shows", the production had $851,000 in ticket sales on top of a $15 million advance sale the weekend following its opening, "huge figures for a new Broadway run". The Times attributed this success to a beloved brand-name title, nostalgia, star strength, and a top-notch marketing campaign by the producers.[3]

The post-tour return to Chicago was hailed as "triumphant" (New City Chicago),[30] and moved Hedy Weiss of the Chicago Sun-Times to issue this directive: "Note to Broadway (and not for the first time): If you want to see how to make a musical really snap into place — how to connect with an audience in that uncanny way that is so crucial for success, how to delineate characters so that we cannot help but cheer for them, and how to turn every production number into a giddy explosion of song and dance — pay a visit to the ideally intimate Mercury Theater Chicago." [28]